Police: Teen arrested for making shooting threats to Ville Platte High School

UPDATE: Ville Platte High will be on lock-down again tomorrow, as police investigate a second threat against the school.

Today, a 15-year-old boy was accused of making threats on social media to shoot students at an Evangeline Parish school.

The Ville Platte Police Department launched an investigation Monday morning after citizens reported seeing social media posts that students would be shot if they attended school at Ville Platte High School, according to Ville Platte Police Chief Neal Lartigue.

A multiple agency investigation resulted in the arrest of the teen.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations, Louisiana State Police, Mamou Police Department and the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office assisted in the investigation.

The second threat may have come from the same student, Lartigue said. He became aware of it this afternoon and is investigating. To be safe, the same precautions taken today at the school will be repeated tomorrow, he said.

Late Monday night, the school board closed all public schools in the parish because of the continued threats. Read more here

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The Ville Platte Police Department says that they are investigating threats of a possible school shooting made to Ville Platte High School. Police Chief Neal Lartigue says that the department is investigating the threats.

The Ville Platte Police, State Police, and Evangeline Sheriff's Department have established an increased presence at Ville Platte High School in response to the threat. The departments will be patrolling the school grounds and the areas around the school as a precaution.

Evangeline Parish Superintendent says that the school did place metal detectors at entrances of the school and students were searched for any weapons. Classes at Ville Platte High were still ongoing despite the threat.

Police say the threat was made this morning at around 12:00 am on Instagram and police say they are investigating where the threat originated. Arrests will be made once a suspect has been identified.

The threat at Ville Platte High School comes only one week after the deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

"I was very scared," resident Shounda Jack said. "It hurt me and I shed a few tears, because it could be my child." Jack's niece and nephew are students at Ville Platte High School.

There was a noticeable police presence outside the school Monday. Because of the Instagram threat, some students chose not to attend school. Many signed their children out immediately after seeing the post. Jack signed her nephew out of school.

"I feel better having him with me than away from me," Jack said. " I'm over protective."

Her nephew Trent Smith added, "I was scared. I hope they can stop this some kind of way because people are getting killed."

Superintendent Darwin Lazard says students also went through metal detectors to make sure no weapons were brought on campus.

"It's very important to us because we just don't know anymore," Lazard said. " The world has certainly changed and and we want to make sure our students and staff are safe."

While security is tight, Lazard is hoping the person responsible for the threat is found.

"FBI and state police, as I understand it, are pursuing the person who posted this threat on social media," Lazard said. " I want parents to know that we are taking this very seriously and are committed to finding out who this is."

Police are investigating and working to find out who made the threat. Police say once they find that person, an arrest will be made.

There have been several instances of threats made to schools across the country by students including a few that have occurred in Louisiana including at East Ascension High School and Dutchtown High School in recent days.